The American president Joe Biden “continues to believe in perspective and possibility” of a two-state solution in the Middle East, and the establishment of a Palestinian state, but “recognizes that it will take a lot of work to get there,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said today.

The US president discussed, according to the spokesman, his position with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a conversation “30 to 40 minutes” that the two leaders had today, the first since December 23.

Biden also welcomed Israel’s decision to allow flour to be shipped to Gaza.

The United States continues to oppose a blanket ceasefire in Gaza, believing it will help Hamas militants.

“We support humanitarian pauses, as I said, to try to get the hostages out and more aid into the Gaza Strip, but we do not support a ceasefire at this time“.

“I think it’s important to remember that a ceasefire was put in place there on 6 October“.

At the same time, the White House expressed the “great concern” after the information from the occupied West Bank about the death of an American citizen.

A 17-year-old Palestinian, Tawfiq Azaq, a US passport holder according to his father, was killed by Israeli fire in Al-Mazra Al-Sharqiyya, east of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Wafa news agency and relatives of the youth said.

In relation to the Houthis, Kirby stated that the US “they successfully conducted three defensive strikes” today against the rebels in Yemen. He stressed that the operations were targeting missile launchers ready to strike in the Red Sea.